in such cases done myself, in liberally abusing the 

 author for a pickpocket — and then I owe them no 

 thanks. The account therefore, between me and 

 the public, is either pretty well balanced, or the 

 difference is in my favour. 



The next class of creditors on an author's grati- 

 tude, are his personal friends. I chance to have 

 as many of your " good-natured friends" as most 

 people, but though my heart rises to mention some 

 among them whom I have long found to be the 

 most valuable property that I possess, (and that is 

 saying but very little, I fear, for an author,) I can- 

 not feel, that on the whole, I owe much acknow- 

 ledgment to my acquaintance. At all events, 

 the majority of them have paid themselves in a 

 way that I did not anticipate. One day I was 

 hurrying to the sick room of a client to make his 

 will. Scarcely had I reached the office door when 

 in rushed another with care and sorrow stamped 

 on every feature. My professional sympathy began 

 to rise, for death or insolvency, I thought must be 

 the cause ; and a long vista of six-and-eightpences 

 opened on my view. I was not altogether wrong. 



" What in the name of wonder is the matter V 

 I exclaimed. 



" I fear she is dying, but you must come and 

 see her instantly/' I concluded it was his mother. 



